(Leader)-Post mortem

It may seem like an oversimplification to attribute the Riders’ second-half woes to the absence of Darian Durant. However, the numbers do not lie.

The Riders were 8-2 with Durant in the lineup and 2-7 without him. With him, they looked like a Grey Cup contender. Without him, they backed into the playoffs, and quickly exited. Cue post-mortem.

Now, I recognize that the Riders’ offence wasn’t exactly lighting it up with Durant behind centre. The Riders eked out a number of wins en route to enjoying an 8-2 start. There was a delicate balance.

Once Durant was out of the lineup, the delicate balance was upset. So were many of the fans, as it turned out, as the Roughriders limped down the stretch.

With Durant, it seemed like the Roughriders could withstand issues like kick-return touchdowns, or whatever. Their unquestioned leader was a proven winner. Once he was sidelined, the Roughriders lost that edge. They lost the “it” factor.

Even when they won without Durant, an asterisk could be applied.

They defeated an expansion team (the Ottawa Redblacks), and needed overtime to do so. Later, they outlasted the Edmonton Eskimos in a regular-season finale that was utterly meaningless.

The Riders put up a fight in Edmonton on Sunday, losing 18-10. The Saskatchewan defence was superb, to put it mildly, but that performance was wasted due to an anemic offence and, yes, another kick-return touchdown. The latter major bordered on the predictable.

What could have been …?

The Riders had a chance to repeat as Grey Cup champions for the first time in franchise history until one play in Winnipeg on Sept. 7. Bryant Turner Jr. rocked Durant after a play had been whistled down. Many players on the field did not hear the whistle, amid the noise at Investors Group Field, and Durant ended up with a torn tendon in his right elbow.

After that, it was chaos. The Riders auditioned Tino Sunseri and Seth Doege as starters before unretiring 41-year-old Kerry Joseph. The latter quarterback looked like the best bet until he threw five interceptions on Sunday.

So now, Joseph is again planning to retire, and the Riders still don’t have a clear idea of what Sunseri and Doege can (or can’t) do. It was the worst of both worlds – a veteran taking over and ultimately struggling in the lone playoff game while, through no fault of his own, impeding the developmental system (if there indeed is one with regard to the quarterbacks).

Durant will be back next year, but who will be behind him? Do the Riders clean the rest of their quarterbacking slate and start over?

So many questions …

GM Brendan Taman has several free-agency issues to address, with slotback Weston Dressler and right tackle Ben Heenan being the most notable names.

Who will be back? Who should be back?

Head coach Corey Chamblin told our man Murray McCormick after Sunday’s game that the Roughriders are entering a “rebuilding phase.’’ With that in mind, expect some well-known Roughriders to depart via free agency, clearing room on the roster (and under the salary cap) for younger players.

This team is getting older, and that’s fine if an aging team keeps winning. But when it bows out in Round 1 of the playoffs, a makeover is required – not unlike the post-2011 makeover.

In 2011, the Riders brought back many of the players who helped the team reach the Grey Cup in 2010. A five-win season ensued, and many 30-somethings departed.

In 2014, the Riders attempted to repeat as champions and, well, you saw Sunday’s game. In the regular season, the Riders still posted a winning record – at 10-8, they were only one victory behind their pace of 2007 – but flaws were evident.

On special teams, the Riders lacked athleticism and were hurt by a lack of Canadian depth. On offence, the Riders dearly missed Durant, but they also missed Kory Sheets and the presence of multiple receivers of whom the opposition had to be wary.

Sheets was a game-changer. Without him, the Riders auditioned a handful of tailbacks, but never really committed to anyone. Anthony Allen was the starter at the beginning and the end of the season, but the coaches never really seemed sold on him. He was the best of an ordinary group. Not the highest praise, I admit.

Even if Dressler re-signs – and you would think there is a very good chance of him returning – the Riders will need a complementary receiving threat. Dressler is a No. 1 receiver, but they need a 1A – a Jeff Fairholm to go with a Ray Elgaard, or vice versa.

The offensive line was not its reputedly robust self in 2013. Injuries played a role, to be certain, but it didn’t seem like anyone on the offensive line enjoyed a dominant season.

Defensively, the Riders were able to control the line of scrimmage. John Chick, Ricky Foley and Tearrius George all had double digits in sacks. But all are over 30, so the clock is ticking.

After Sunday, though, it is difficult to find fault with the defence. Much of the focus is on the offence, or lack thereof, and the not-so-special teams.

The coverage teams were a liability for much of the season. Chris Milo had an off-year as a placekicker. Unlike Ricky Schmitt, Josh Bartel did not demonstrate an ability to tilt the field. Unless Dressler or Jackson were off to the races on a long return, the special teams were blahhhhhh. And another “h” or two might be required.

Now another long winter looms. Tough, ruthless decisions must be made. Even if the Roughriders could bring back everyone, would that be a winning formula?

Take Sunday’s roster and add two injured players – Durant and Taj Smith. Add them to Sunday’s starting lineup.

If you do that, half of the starters would be in their 30s next season – namely Durant, Dressler, Smith, Getzlaf, Chick, Foley, George, Chris Best, Rob Bagg, Dominic Picard, Tyron Brackenridge and Terrell Maze.

If the Riders are committed to “rebuilding,’’ half the roster cannot be northwards of 30 – especially after the team proceeded due south after Durant was injured.

His absence wasn’t the only reason for the Riders’ slide, given the other factors cited above. But the injury to the Riders’ marquee player set the wheels in motion for a sickly second half. And, eventually, the wheels fell off.

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